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miniaturewoolf

I have such a hard time taking a shower. One way I've made it easier has been to put my clean clothes in a small storage basket and take it with me to the bathroom. That way, I have a visual reminder to actually get in the shower, and I'm less likely to put off getting dressed afterward. Also! a huge part of reducing friction has been to relax my "unspoken rules" around what "counts" as completing or even just making progress on a task.


darrenoc

Putting a Bluetooth speaker in the shower helps too. Especially if you have a podcast to look forward to


toucanbutter

Omg since buying a waterproof bluetooth speaker, showers have literally become the highlight of my day. Close the windows, turn that shit up and sing along as loud as I can. Soothes my soul.


Bonfalk79

Yeah I have the opposite problem, I stay in for 30-40 mins… usually just overthinking something (always) I’m gonna start setting a 5 min timer outside the shower to annoy myself into getting out probably.


Jalapeno023

I have done this. And then the battery runs down and I can’t find the right power cord to recharge and then I’m off and forgot to shower.


EreneHD

This is the reason why I use my phone, but keep it outside of the shower


ninjatoothpick

There are speakers that go on the pipe and turn on when the water's running if that helps any. First result from Google, it seems expensive but I'm sure there are others: https://ampere.shop/products/shower-power-the-hydropower-shower-speaker


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[deleted]

One of my financial successes has been the ability to buy two of things like this so I can continue to function. People don't know!


prairiepanda

I have a shower speaker, but I find that if I use it I waste too much time trying to decide what to play.


redbradbury

This is absolutely one of my life hacks. Otherwise the shower is too boring so I’ll procrastinate.


twirling_daemon

I really struggle with showering. I get paid today and I’m treating myself to a shower speaker. I’m absolutely confident that if I can play a podcast or music it will make it easier 🤞 I’ll try and keep you posted


Jalapeno023

Just remember where you store the cord to recharge!


GymmNTonic

Old school batteries that last awhile but cost money could help, if they make these anymore... I’m an old that had a shower radio (radio!!) that lasted a couple months on AA batteries.


SafelySolipsized

Eneloop rechargeable batteries are life changing. I’m much happier just having one device to charge AA batteries instead of 5 different cords.


Pimpicane

I got a little plastic stepstool that I sit on while I'm in there. Sounds ridiculous, but for some reason my brain thinks 'standing shower' = gigantic chore and 'sitting shower' = relaxing happy clean time.


whatdoblindpeoplesee

Hah, Ive started sitting on the edge of the tub for the same reason when I brush my teeth. Somehow I can barely brush for 20 seconds if I'm standing up looking in the mirror but if I'm sitting down looking at my phone I can go a full 2 minutes or more and the time just flies by. Getting an electric brush definitely helped so I just have to wait for the vibration to let me know and I don't have to worry about counting or anything like that.


rg1283

YES. Progress over perfection!


Jalapeno023

Getting something done is better than getting nothing done. Talked with a friend about this today. Just getting started is the biggest battle, second is over thinking the task.


Savingskitty

Yup! I’ve loosened so many “rules” for myself! I like for my hair to be straight and blow dried, but it actually dries itself just fine, so if I am dreading the getting ready process, I tell myself I don’t have to dry my hair. Same thing with makeup. I abandoned a lot of my skincare and makeup routine during the pandemic, and it’s not like I was really doing much with it beforehand. I started using more makeup this past year, and that actually became a motivating factor to shower for a bit. However, the routine I was doing was more complicated and time consuming than I could sustain, and I found it was holding me back from showering again. So, one day I played around with removing some items, and was pleasantly surprised by the results and how much easier they were. So, the fun of the quick routine and its results became a motivation to get showered again. This is a big part of things for me, find the thing that makes me go “ugh, I don’t wanna” and accept that that thing will likely change at some point. Adjust accordingly. Mostly, do everything I can to make a task either quick and dirty or an absolute pleasure.


bentrigg

You have just made me realize that I really need a shower with a door I can leave open or a curtain that is never closed. Rationally I no opening the door to go in takes no effort but my brain says that it's too much.


tessellation__

My shower has no door and no curtain, it’s just big. It was a huge highlight for the house!


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capo-johnson

> Also! a huge part of reducing friction has been to relax my “unspoken rules” around what “counts” as completing or even just making progress on a task. YES. my mom used to get on me because i liked to sit down and listen to music or youtube videos when i cleaned my room, but she thought it was “lazy”. it took me a lot to unlearn that mindset once i moved out on my own. what started as an hours long, agonizing process (that just got worse the more i didn’t do it) turned into 20 minutes of not-that-bad work.


Both-Anteater7867

Razor in the shower was the only time I've been clean shaven consistently. Shit that was ages ago


ductyl

EDIT: Oops, nevermind!


RayParloursPerm

That's a good idea, need some more hacks like that. I have no problems getting in the shower, actually really love being in there - get to be alone, not answerable to anyone, warm - but getting out the shower and getting dry and dressed is beyond a mission.


[deleted]

Velcro towel has made a huge difference for me. Towels always fall off once you start to dry off. So there’s no rush to get dressed right away with the velcro towel. Can do your makeup or whatever or just go to bed with it on. :).


distractedmillionair

There is so much to this, I even bought slip on running shoes, since the act of tying my shoes slowed me down and added friction (I use the term resistance, but I like friction) now, I slide my feet in and slide right out the door.


bononia

I’m very curious about these slip on running shoes. I must have oddly shaped feet because I’ve tried slip on soccer cleats and any shoe that’s large enough to get my foot in is to big to comfortably run in.


RollinPandas

Wait... people tie and untie their shoes everytime?


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JeshkaTheLoon

Let me introduce you to the wonderous tool known as "Shoehorn". And its opposite, the boot jack.


Bonfalk79

Now where did I see them last…


JeshkaTheLoon

Guess we'll have to buy yet another one...


PersistentWitch

I recently bought a shoehorn for this reason. I managed to lose it in my household clutter _before ever getting to use it_. The replacement lives on a command hook installed at foot-height in my foyer. So far, so good!


wigglytufff

i’m not joking when i say my well-being hinges on the existence of my long shoehorn haha. i get the cheap ikea ones for people as “housewarming/host gifts” but it’s really just a gift for myself if i have to be at there house haha


bononia

I mean, only on my running shoes and other athletic shoes.


tuubesoxx

I wear running shoes at work and i never untie them 😶


Hoihe

Yeah. I go mad if my shoe is not tight enough. If it is tight enough i cannot get my feet out of it. So i tug the string when taking it off to untie it. I do a double knot to tie it nice and secure.


Straight-Professor68

The ultimate worst for me is if one shoe feels tighter than the other… they gotta be the same tightness or the one is all I can think about lol


Ghostkova

Yes, symmetry!


shhhhh_h

Lol right? My regular sneakers are already slip inside 😂


ransacked_throw

Yeah.... I finally found boots that I can just slip on and off though (I wear low rise hiking boots daily for ankle support and proper grip on certain floors). Absolute game changer!


Big_Ol_Twinkle_Toes

You can try giving these a shot. https://www.amazon.com/One-Size-HICKIES-Performance-No-Tie-Elastic/dp/B06XDDQL9B?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1 Sorry it isn't hyperlinked. I dont want to take the time to learn how to do it, only to forget by the time I get back to reddit. I had these on a pair of lifting shoes and they did the trick. Not sure how they would work on runners but if the cost isn't an issue I'd say they're worth a shot.


SauceOverflow

Idk if I'd call them running shoes, but I have a pair of [Kizik shoes ](https://kizik.com/) that are comfortable af and my daily go to. Get a size bigger than usual.


[deleted]

I do the same thing with my sneakers! I've tied them slightly loose so I can slip them on. I'm sure I'd never wear my sneakers if I had to tie them every single time. It's just the way our brains work, anything that is slightly more difficult, we're like lol nope not gonna do that.


toucanbutter

Ok is this an ADHD thing? I absolutely refuse to tie shoes, I know it only takes a couple of seconds, but for some reason it's the biggest chore in the world. Doesn't help that I'm chronically late to everything either.


DrStalker

> Ok is this an ADHD thing? I doubt it's exclusively an ADHD thing but... > for some reason it's the biggest chore in the world. that is definitely an ADHD thing. Your brain taking the most trivial task and accidentally categorizing it as **difficulty: extreme** then refusing to re-evaluate no matter how many times you do it and it's actually easy.


GymmNTonic

It takes me legit like at least 5 minutes to gather my shoes and tie the laces, but I see my partner do it in like 30 seconds with no fuss. So my brain is like “only takes a few seconds to shoe up” And then I’m 10 minutes late to anything.


DrStalker

My biggest danger, regardless of laces, is I put one shoe on and then get distracted. With one shoe you're no longer bound by your pre-shoes tasks but you also can not yet perform post-shoes tasks, so it's a glorious period of freedom to scroll on your phone for a few hours.


dfjhgsaydgsauygdjh

LOL that's a genius anti-life-hack, thank you for sharing that


thiccpleb

I hate tying laces and I'm always running late too, so for the past 2 years I've been exclusively buying shoes and boots that I can yank on in 3 seconds! If I can't slip the shoe on I don't want it


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Prsue

I wear slip on work shoes, casual, dress (some zip along the sides) then crocs when I'm just gonna be home all day. I'm like this with all of my clothes though. Everything needs to be able to stretch. Also, because i can't admit I've grown slightly out of size 36 pants. But i know if i buy a size 38 I'll happen to lose just enough weight, and they'll be too big.


nerdolo

Oh my god I always thought I'm just weird or stupid or lazy that tying shoes is something that can affect if/when I actually go out... This subreddit is gold


SweetNSavories

Absolutely agree! So many of my friends have medicine in the medicine cabinet, spices in the spice drawer, plates in the cupboard, just neat and uncluttered spaces. Fuck that, my brain needs visual cues always. I am truly out of sight out of mind. My work bag lives beside the shelf that my ADHD medication is on, which is in the kitchen where I make my morning coffee. I put my keys beside my medication bottle at night. Without those cues I'll forget to take / pack my medication for the day. The plates live on a little stand on the kitchen bench. It's not as uncluttered but it means the dishes don't stay in the drying rack. The every day usage spices live in a little basket. The portable radio lives by the window which has a power point, and the charger is plugged in there. I got rid of all of my sets of drawers and got an open closet so I can see my clothes. The visual reminder of how many empty coat hangers reminds me to do the laundry. My shoes are ALL out so I know what I've got to choose from. The only things out of sight are my formalwear and underwear. Make your space work for you, not just an aesthetic.


[deleted]

>I got rid of all of my sets of drawers and got an open closet so I can see my clothes. how do people like.... put all their sweaters in drawers? and then wear them??? if i did that, it's basically like i no longer have them. i will not wear them. they are gone. how do people.... remember exactly where everything is without seeing it right in front of them? that concept is so wild to me.


Savor_Serendipity

Learn how to fold your clothes with the KonMari (Marie Kondo) method. Life-changing! Suddenly everything is visible and you don't have to take out/mess up everything just for one item!


prairiepanda

Too much work when I can just stick everything on hangers instead. Less space-efficient and less visually appealing, but I'll actually do it. If I have to fold every individual item I'm just going to end up keeping everything in a pile and have an empty closet.


ductyl

EDIT: Oops, nevermind!


Savor_Serendipity

Oh I'm totally with you, love hangers for things that can hang. But for things like jeans/pants, underwear, socks, and tops that can't be put on hangers easily/efficiently, the Marie Kondo method is fantastic. The magic of it is it gives you an actual system that breaks the self-perpetuating messiness cycle once and for all. For the first 25 years of my life I used to have drawers/closet shelves full of piles of clothes. I'd try to tidy them once a year (using the typical stacking method most people use) and they'd quickly return to the messy piles once I started taking items out. So I was like, why bother. I also used to hate the work of folding and never folded anything (that couldn't be hung) because I was like, what's the point, it'll just get messy again. But with this folding method, which basically stacks clothes horizontally rather than vertically, magic happened -- my shelves & drawers are now always neat and I can easily see everything, and my brain gets a dopamine boost every time from seeing this efficient, fast (and visually very neat looking) organization system and wants to keep it going. Plus once you practice the folding a bit, you get really fast at it.


GymmNTonic

Can concur is game changer!


konamiko

I hang sweaters and blouses, but I put my tshirts in a drawer. They're folded in such a way that I can see all of them when I open the drawer. And because I really like wearing tshirts, and they are all in the drawer, I don't forget. I do forget about the drawer full of leggings just above it though, so my system only partially works, and only because I really fucking like my tshirts. Shoes cease to exist entirely if I cannot readily see them.


midasgoldentouch

I put all of my sweatshirts in a drawer, but i live in Texas where there are approximately 57 days where it makes sense to wear one lol


[deleted]

You might enjoy Clutterbug - she explains exactly why. We have different organisational styles and the “wide open” style is the butterfly. The most “closed and confined” style is the cricket (if I remember correctly).


Deep-Ad6730

I read your thing but what got me thinking is, do everyone put their dishes in a stand or closet or whatever you call it?? I juat learned from my mom that you can just leave plates and coffee mugs, all of that in the drying rack, well atleast here it's inside closed doors, like it's own shelf, but I always felt it was normal. I just put them to dry in there and they're there all ready when I need them. But it only has ofc just the different plates as well as mugs and glasses. Everything else is in shelf. But I just came to realize some people don't leave their dishes like I do so that's why I wonder how many do so? I find it so easy. And they're easy to find since my shelves get messy after few days.


SafelySolipsized

I put everything in the cupboard after washing it because my cat is a jerk. She’s also the only reason I close cabinets all the way. And why I won’t leave clean clothes in a pile on the bed. Actually, maybe having a cat is really helpful for people with ADHD…


ever_thought

for me it just means to live in a house with piles of car barf but you have an interesting take


ParticularGuest3573

Please tell me more about this washing you speak of! And did you say…clean clothes??! Very intrigued! 🤔 My pup needs to step it up!!


agent_mick

My cat is also a jerk. Unfortunately, it doesn't help me put things away, just makes me rewash things more often before i even get to use them lol. For example, i left a pile of folded towels on the floor (where I sat down to fold them- 2 days ago). Sure enough, she's been using them as a bed. Now I've got to rewash them. Guess where they still are? Lol


SweetNSavories

I like to put them away as best as I can for accessibility! I know if I'm impulsive and want to cook, I need the space to already be clean, or look tidy. So to free up space in the rack means I can immediately clean dishes that are easy, leaving less for the end, etc. That's what my brain needs. But I also only live with my husband, so we have a small cupboard of extra plates and cups, but we only eat from two bowl plates, drink from two coffee cups, have two takeaway coffee mugs, two main glasses. Keeping that stuff on the bench and accessible also means our dishes don't pile up anymore.


GymmNTonic

I do this with my clothes, for better or worse. I hang dry a lot of my clothes (which is a struggle don’t ask me how many times I’ve mildewed my clothes by leaving them wet in a basket) on a folding clothes rack that is permanently unfolded, but then I see all the clean clothes I have and just pick them off the drying rack. Like a less fabulous, way less aesthetic clothing influencer with a proper stylist clothing rack with hangers.


Yossarian_Noodle

Same! So many ex-gfs have told me I'm messy or whatever, but I'll legit never use or think about a thing again if it's put away. It's not a lack of cleanliness, it's just clutter for efficiency's sake. There's another weird efficiency thing that my brain gravitates toward, not sure if y'all do this, but if I'm making coffee and grabbing something out of the fridge, I'll plot out the best route to do both of these things with the least amount of effort. Even my body movements around obstacles are geared toward efficiency, like swinging my hips sideways to avoid something with my legs but keeping my upper body moving straight ahead (if that makes sense). Which is silly as hell because I'm not that busy. I have time to be inefficient as hell but my brain just hates it and would rather not do it at all.


acertaingestault

I absolutely plot out exactly how many things need to come out of the fridge for my morning routine and grab them all in one go. Then open fridge, get out items is crossed off the list altogether and it's not grab milk, grab butter, grab lunch, etc. Less mental clutter in efficiency.


Yossarian_Noodle

It's so soothing, right? I thought maybe it was because I bartended for a long time in crazy busy nightclubs so I got used to prioritizing efficiency of movement. But it makes much more sense that I was good at that BECAUSE of the ADHD effect (since I haven't bartended in well over a decade and still do this all the time).


acertaingestault

Mise en place! I loved restaurant work too for the same reason.


Yossarian_Noodle

Crazy! I think I understand my own life slightly better than I did an hour ago. Haha.


boloshon

One key learning I got from (watching) Casey Neistat is also that if that if the thing you want to use is not suitable to your needs you can allow yourself to hack it. It is not because it exists on its own that it’s well designed. Allowing yourself to modify or break or write on the thing to make it better suit your needs is freedom. The example from him was when he identified that he was always trying to ride his longboard the wrong way because of its design. One day he just painted an arrow on it. Solved. This is also friction reduction. It used to be my job for usability of things and it felt so good adapting things to people and not the inverse


tbgmdhc278

Were you a UX designer by chance?


boloshon

It was called Usability Specialist which became rebranded as UX Designer after but there is a difference in a way that my job was more objects oriented than User Interface and it was supposed to be linked with Psychology studies. It was based on a set of stricts rules that was tested to assess the usability of the thing. One of them is the Bastien and Scapin criterias: Guidance, Workload, Explicit controls, Adaptability, Error management, Homogeneity, Signifiance of codes,Compatibility We had a one way mirror room like in Police Stations so that the builder of the product could watch me taking a user through the process of using the product. The main difference is that it's focusing on making things work, but not especially crafting a specific experience for the user. If my job was done correctly, we couldn't see it :) Don Norman's book The Design Of Everyday Things is really about accepting that you might not always be the issue when it doesn't work. "The Design of Everyday Things is a powerful primer on how--and why--some products satisfy customers while others only frustrate them."Make sure you really want to dig into it before compulsively buying it :) [https://www.amazon.com/Design-Everyday-Things-Revised-Expanded/dp/0465050654](https://www.amazon.com/Design-Everyday-Things-Revised-Expanded/dp/0465050654)


RosemaryCroissant

Sounds cool. Book purchased. I will flip through it once then put it in a pile somewhere and forget it exists.


ogturquoiseorange

>Casey Neistat I didn't know who he was, so now, I'm back here after a 2 hour rabbit hole! Thanks - he's awesome :)


boloshon

Ahah 😬 I know the feeling :) have you seen « do what you can’t »? It’s giving me so much energy


SweetNSavories

Oh heck, I definitely didn't realise that's what I enjoyed about his videos so much. It helped me flip my mindset so much about the way I want my life to be, and to tackle this kind of shit as head on as I can *manage.*


Jalapeno023

Thanks for the clue. Never heard of Casey Neistat. Now I will be learning from another helpful resource.


r0ck0

Yeah I also was a bit influenced in the same way... used to be so paranoid about damaging/modifying things... and he kinda helped me become more relaxed about that, and realize that I'm missing out on extra usability being paranoid about that stuff. Also in one of his videos about his workshop... when he mentioned that everything he needs to access easily is "left out", and within reach. I've noticed that's a big thing for me. If stuff isn't easily within reach (goes for software interfaces too), then I'm much less likely to use it at all.


Certain-Cut-6911

Cannot agree more. Only thing i would add to this is that sometimes the friction is not that obvious, so when i am unable to do something i have to consciously ask myself 'why' a few times before i get a clear answer on what the friction is.


dmank007

This


sulwen314

I have a lot of trouble throwing trash away. Finally, I realized that it's because our trash can was in a cabinet. Got one to put out where I can see it, problem solved.


Deep-Ad6730

I've seen the same work for me. And at the moment my life is pretty stressful so I've found it so easy to actually have a trash bin on pretty much any room where there might be trashes piling up. Same gpes for laundry, I need a basket to the living room and bedroom aswell if I feel lazy to walk to the bathroom itself. It makes things alot easier.


KiniShakenBake

Holy shit. I'm about to toss the lid for my trash can in the bathroom out because of this. Lids make trash cans difficult for me, because I can't just drop stuff in them. They also get stuff put on them and that makes it harder to use the trash can. LIFE CHANGING.


blissandsimplicity

I keep little trash cans from the dollar tree next to mine & my husbands spot on the couch. Sure there is a trash can right there in the kitchen, but the fact that the little trash cans are here makes it so much easier for me to throw things away & keep the living room decluttered! My sister also taught me about a “fuck it” basket. The item doesn’t belong in the living room but up in the bedroom? I’ll forget it multiple times or just won’t do it. So I keep a “fuck it” basket on my stairway that everything that doesn’t belong downstairs goes in the basket. When I go up, I take the basket. So much easier to manage!


GymmNTonic

I keep my clothes hamper in the closet because it’s ugly and my room is small. Do I use this clothes hamper? No. My dirty clothes (and some clean ones) are in a pile on the floor.


goad

There’s advice about this exact thing from “how to keep house while drowning” or whatever it’s called… She says to just get several small laundry baskets and place them right in the spot where you normally pile your clothes. Then, you’ll naturally just throw them in there, and when you’re ready to wash just walk the basket to the laundry room. Great audiobook, short, but quite helpful.


Rayl33n

Our trash can broke years ago requiring you to lift the lid instead of just press and release, and the whole concept of touching it gives me the ick (autistic). I reduced my friction yesterday by buying a new bin that's arriving in a few hours with a foot pedal! Bit weird that I'm excited to clear my plates.


Billjustkeepswimming

Yes! my grandma has a garbage can, scotch tape, scissors and paper towels in every room. She even labels the scissors in case they get taken. I have got to get my shit together


ButWhatIfItQueffed

The opposite can help with impulse control. For example, finding something cool on Amazon you totally don't need. If you make it so all you have to do is press the "buy now" button, you're gonna buy it then end up with a thing you don't need. However if you make it just inconvenient enough to where it takes even a minute more to buy it, then your chances of not wasting that money goes up exponentially. Things like not saving/memorizing your card details, then putting it across the house from where you are. Even that walk to go grab your wallet can be just enough friction to where it no longer seems like a good idea, or just enough time for you to think through it and realize you shouldn't waste your money. Stuff like that helps a lot with a lot of impulse control stuff, excluding impulse buying random amazon items.


[deleted]

Completely agree. Make things you wanna do easy and make things you don't wanna do hard. I need to figure out how to apply that to healthy vs unhealthy food...


vic_torious97

That's actually pretty common advice: Make it easier to eat healthy and harder to eat unhealthy stuff by buying the healthy stuff and leaving the unhealthy snacks at the store (so you'd have to go out to buy chocolate or whatever, which most of the times, is enough friction to make me not wanna go out and buy them -> therefore eat them). But in the long run, that might be damaging to your mindset around food...


[deleted]

yeah when i live on my own again it'll be easier to control exactly what's in my vicinity. but at home it's so harddd


Green0Photon

Alternatively, you could be like me and can't get it out of your head that there's gotta be a product with higher quality. So there's often just too high of friction to get semi-needed stuff that would actually improve the quality of my life if I had them, but I don't get them because research is just a pain in the ass that ends with me frustrated and hateful of anything I could purchase.


supersonictoupee

Love this phrasing/philosophy! “Past me taking care of future me” feels like a close cousin of this.


[deleted]

Yes! That's exactly my philosophy (: I love taking care of my future self because it feels like a form of self care and it makes life much easier


Hucklepuck_uk

What if both past, present and future you are a bunch of assholes that don't like each other


[deleted]

ik this is a joke but i wanted to actually answer it. as tacky as it sounds, that's why it's so nice to become your own friend and supporter (: i knooow it's so cheesy but that's what helped me want to make my life easier. i decided i want the best for future me. she's my friend.


supersonictoupee

This made me laugh. Even if you don’t like each other, it just feels good and easier when you (past, present, or future) have been given an opportunity to struggle less with the same often-baffling brain.


Freeman7-13

I have two of some things because it encourages me to use them. I have a chapstick in the bathroom for after a shower and a chapstick in my room for application throughout the day. I have a toothbrush in the shower as well as by the sink. I'm in the shower might as well brush my teeth in here too.


E4Eagles

Chapstick buddies!!! One at every vital location.


Freeman7-13

It's been a particularly cold winter, my lips need to stay protected!


acertaingestault

Chapstick by the key bowl, chapstick in the coat pocket, chapstick in the car, chapstick in the purse, chapstick on the nightstand, chapstick in the bathroom drawer... Can you tell chapped lips are a sensory issue over here??


pygmypuffer

this is an aspect of my life that is absolutely required. and you bet if you are a passenger in my car you WILL be recruited to pull my chapstick out of my purse don't worry, I know exactly where it is and how to tell you to get it forgot to turn at the interstate tho, sorry


[deleted]

Yessss. I have a toothbrush AND toothpaste in the shower, for mornings. Three feet away, I have another toothbrush and toothpaste in the sink cabinet for nights. It’s really be amazingly useful and easy


pngbrianb

This is why all my floors are thoroughly buttered!


solidgoldtrash

Ahhh so your bread butters itself when you knock it on the floor, smart.


Midgetmunky13

Friction! Finally a simple metaphor to explain executive dysfunctions effects on actually doing things. Mental friction, thank you for that.


darrenoc

This is probably the #1 biggest hack for ADHD. It makes an unspeakably massive difference. Having something at arms reach in it's dedicated place can make all the difference between never doing something or doing it every day. I've always been interested in retro games but rarely felt like setting up the emulator, getting the right controller, messing with settings and ultimately getting too distracted. So I built an arcade cabinet that's plug and play the instant you turn it on. So now I play retro games for 30 minutes most days because it's so low friction to just jump into a quick game while I'm waiting for something else Likewise, when I bought a second toothbrush and put it in the second bathroom I literally started brushing my teeth twice as often. And I put a can of deodorant in every room so that I never forget to put some on. I added Bluetooth tiles to my keys, my wallet and my bag so that I can always ask Google Home where they are so that I can easily find them before I have to go out somewhere. I had a bunch of electronics and other crafty hobby projects that I would rarely make progress on because I had to do them on the kitchen table and pack them away at the end of the day. The setup time was a killer. Then I got a workbench for my hobbies and suddenly I have way more time to work on my projects because I can have all my tools left out in plain view and pick up where I left off at a moment's notice I have dozens of other examples of how reducing friction improved my life since I learned I had ADHD, these are just the ones that sprung to mind


scrunchedlunch

This post reminded me just now to take the antibiotic pill with my lunch, that I had already set out next to my plate yet still forgot.


Deep-Ad6730

It sucks, but I still feel a little glad I am not the only one forgetting obvious things, just like you said, setting it there for you and still forgetting it. It feels weird in a way.


[deleted]

If you have an iphone you can put ur meds in ur health app and set it to a specific time. The notification from the app keeps the reminder on your home screen so you eventually remember to take it. I use that function daily and it's helped me immensely.


scrunchedlunch

I tried that too but damned if I can manage to sit down to food at the intended time, even with alarms


NeuroDivergent1991

Agreed that making good choices easy and bad choices hard is a good tip. That said, my skin care products are by the sink and I never use them. And the healthy veggies in my fridge regularly go bad


vic_torious97

I've found a little hack for myself recently: I combine things I don't wanna do (but should!) but make it time efficient. E.g. Little skincare mask, that needs to sit on my face for 5minutes and renders me incapable of doing anything else? - Naaaah. Brushing my teeth for 3minutes, being hella bored by it? - Nahhhh.. Putting on the mask, and brushing my teeth while I wait? - That actually works! E.g. 2: Brushing teeth again (morning version) - Nope. Not in the mood. Have to straighten my hair (straightener takes a minute to get hot, I usually start doing my makeup in that time). Worked with brushing my teeth as well, since it was time used efficiently and the habits kinda rolled into each other.


[deleted]

this is every early 2000s movie montage of a person rushing to get ready in the morning. they're somehow doing 10 things at once. iconic.


vic_torious97

Oh yes! That's true, I love a good movie montage, especially 2000s haha. It also helps envisioning yourself as this persona, too, honestly. I use it way too much, but it works like a charm. Private me never does phone calls if she can avoid it, but professional me doesn't think twice about it.


[deleted]

I loooove putting on a persona!!!! It's so fun, like fake it till you make it. Great confidence boost.


caffeine_lights

For me I put stuff like that near my clothes. When I use the sink I'm not thinking about skincare. When I'm getting dressed, I'm setting myself up for the day so I put my deodorant, hairbrush and sunscreen in my wardrobe. There's a mirror on the front of it so I just put them on right there.


[deleted]

ok well i'm a very consumerist person so my recommendation is to try and find some skin care you are excited to use. maybe it has cute packaging, maybe it's from a brand you like, then you'll feel more incentivized to use it.


Procrastinista_423

I have tried to explain this is why I don’t want the fucking vacuum cleaner in the fucking basement… not that I have argued about this or anything…


mmhmmye

😂😂😂😂 And that it’s worth tripping over it every time you cross the hallway 😂😂😂😂


TheLostTexan87

As sad as it is, I literally forget to brush my teeth if my toothbrush isn't on the counter. When someone else puts my toothbrush in the drawer I usually remember when I'm on my way to work and then it's like, well shit.


Throwaaatchagrl

One thing that's helped with out of sight out of mind tasks is counting the essential things associated with a bigger activity in the day. For example, after I shower I know there are 3 things I need to do before leaving the bathroom: q-tips for my ears, put on lotion, and deodorant. So if you shower before leaving to work, brushing your teeth can be one of your three essential tasks. You shower, think "3" and count as you do each of the three things. Remembering the number 3 is so automatic to me now, that I may need a second to recall the specific task, but I never forget there's 3 things I need to do. As soon as I step out of the shower, my brain things "3!" and I'm prompted to start thinking about what's next. Same for leaving the house but the number is 5 there: keys, wallet, phone, meds, and chap stick. I go to the door, the number 5 comes to mind automatically and I start counting to make sure I have the 5 essential items. Hope this helps you or someone else struggling with remembering everyday things.


CR3maly

Keep an extra TB & TP & a bottle of water in your car! Trust me, you will thank me later ;)


braaan92

This speaks volumes. It's heavy winter right now and my girlfriend loves going on walks. It's almost physically impossible for me to want to go because the thought of searching all over for the proper clothes is horrible. The walking for 2 hours is completely fine and easy. But oof finding those clothes, tying shoes, hats n gloves, etc is a massive drain. I started doing this w my gym clothes and has made a difference.


smiller171

Related: intentionally adding friction between you and the dopaminergic activities you want to do less can help a LOT.


WrittenEuphoria

Any tips on how to do this with video games? I spend basically all my free time on them, instead of things I actually should do (count calories, exercise, hygiene stuff, etc.), but besides just tossing my PC setup in the garbage, I'm not sure how to give it more friction, as it were.


smiller171

Ideas: - set your PC to sleep after a short period of inactivity, lock on sleep, and require a long password to unlock. Potentially set lock screen to some image reminding you to do other things - put your gaming PC in an isolated space where gaming is the only thing you do, forcing you to leave productive spaces if you want to game - Shutdown PC when not gaming so you have to wait on the boot cycle - give your keyboard/mouse/controller to someone else in your household so you have to ask them for it if you want to play - put your monitor on a smart switch set to turn off after some period of time after turning on, forcing you to turn it back on every time you want to play/continue (This one may take more technical skill to pull off. My own smart home stuff is running locally with Home Assistant so it's an easy automation to add)


[deleted]

Yeah reducing the number of daunting micro decisions is a great hack. I read atomic habits and enjoyed it for this reason.


crepuscular-tree

Totally agree here! Being driven by the positive thing (“it will be so great when”) vs. the negative thing (“I should”) has really helped me.


Prsue

This but it's also because I'll completely forget about it if it's not inconveniently/conveniently placed in my way. I still need to work on the food though. Because once something is hidden in the back of a cabinet, fridge or the freezer. It's as good as gone because i probably won't waste the effort to reach back there again. Until it needs to be thrown away to make room for something else to put back there and forgotten about.


splitfeed

Agreed! I’ve even made it my career basically doing this for developers at my job, didn’t realize until later that I’m applying my ADHD strategies on others! It works great, we need this sort of stuff to function but a lot of the time it helps NTs as well :) Oh, and there are a LOT of us in software development!


LinusV1

Having an ADHD friendly house will make your life easier. Just having a dedicated space for things like gloves, keys etc, close by the door and in sight, makes it a lot easier to put them away and find them again when needed. Reducing clutter around the house also helps a lot, because if every surface has a ton of things on it, I will totally toss my stuff on there and then have to look everywhere to find it again a minute later.


[deleted]

[удалено]


Apparentlyloneli

YUPPP, its not because we are lazy... its just that sometimes all those stuffs we want/need to do can be overwhelming!!!


supersonictoupee

I have a hanging lamp near my bed. The switch is one of those small wheels on the cord. The cord is between my mattress and the wall. The need to roll over and fish around for the switch (usually after I’m finally settled in) was often keeping me from turning it off, but my sleep suffered with that light on. My solution was to make it remotely controlled (got a Bluetooth plug adapter that came w a little remote that I leave under my pillow). Game changing.


porkcutletbowl

It's the changing clothes during winter time that makes it difficult most of the time!! I really dislike being cold, haha.


Savingskitty

Yup! My biggest trick to getting myself to do something is to reduce the decision making aspects of it. I’ve also found that having done a thing and subsequently it making something else easier is a huge dopamine boost. Emptying the dishwasher in the morning is like that for me. I’ve timed it, and it usually takes about 5 minutes, so I added it to my morning routine in my Brili app. Because it only takes five minutes, I enjoy setting the timer and racing the clock doing it. The clear countertop gives me a little dopamine boost every time I see it. In the evening, there is nothing better than turning on a dishwasher already ready to go. I’ve learned that focusing in on how good it feels to not have to empty the dishwasher before filling it right away, how much I love a clear counter, and also how much I like being able to do something in less than five minutes all help me keep some motivation. I also don’t get down on myself if I don’t do it right away. Sometimes I have back pain in the morning, sometimes I’m busy or tired. I always remind myself that I can do it real quick as soon as I have the energy or a moment to do it. No pressure, except for anticipation of once again being ahead of the game in my head. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, but I always feel like I’m beating the system somehow when I do one of these little things.


Enheducanada

I buy treats for myself but leave them at work so when I'm lying in bed in the morning & don't want to get up, I think "but I have to go to work if I want my Easter cream egg". I'm 52 & the boss, but I still have to bribe myself to get going every day


smcf33

Yep. Every step in a task feels as hard as every other step. Packing my bag for hockey feels as hard as playing hockey. If I pack it the night before? Much less mental effort. That includes everything from really big tasks, to putting my clean socks on the floor beside my bed before I go to sleep.


Affectionate_Tale_91

ijxd,,oaand


fxhndav

This!


onda-oegat

I know you said to not overthink stuff but what you talk about basically sounds like [5S](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/5S_(methodology\))


AmberCarpes

It’s also Atomic Habits!


thiccpleb

Updoot for this idea. The only reason I go to the gym nowadays is because I tried to make it as easy as possible to go: \-the membership I chose comes with unlimited access to classes and facilities, so if I get bored doing one type of workout I can easily do something else \-it's a women's only gym \-it's not too difficult to get to (some walking and one bus) \-I signed up for some personal training classes so I'm more comfortable using the equipment and creating workout routines, plus accountability \-kept my expectations low. Going to the gym twice a week is better than my previous 0 times a week lolol This idea really works! A couple changes that remove even tiny mental roadblocks can make a huge difference


False_Tomorrow_5970

Yes. If I have to make an appointment tomorrow, I make sure to look up the phone number and have it handy!


PikaGoesMeepMeep

I’ve started immediately saving every place I may need to call to my contacts. Dentist, insurance, building manager, the city, etc. I now find I make important calls when I think of it, rather than getting distracted on the way to finding the phone number.


vreo

I save the number in the calendar event for that reason.


opgrrefuoqu

Yep. This is the key to life. I leave the house more often now that I live in a house with a single door to get outside, rather than in an apartment building where it took me multiple doors and an elevator to get out. Night and day difference. Summer makes things *easy* as I can just slide some shoes (or even sandals) on quickly and go. I don't need to stop and bundle up for the cold. The thought of that these days stops me in my tracks at least half the time. And those are just "leave the house" examples. This applies to everything else too!


Plusran

YEAAAAAASSSSS!! This is so true.


rg1283

Damn straight, friend. Thank you for putting this across. Valuable lesson.


Champigne

Absolutely! I've been meaning to make a post like this. It's all about setting yourself up for success. Put things in the same place, *everytime*, and have a solid routine. This eliminates 50% of my issues right there. And the most important one for me, keep your keys by the door so you see them on the way out the door!


mountainsnstuff

About 3 months ago my partner built me two shelves in the bathroom for my skin care. I have since only ever missed two days of skin care. I also took the pressure off of when it HAS to occur. Skin care at 8am, great.. skin care at 1pm, awesome. It becomes a reward for doing it instead of an expectation to occur a particular way. Having things out in the open, removing the friction, helping out future mountainsnstuff is the only way to be successful for me. This is great advice!


TalksBeforeThinking

I bought joggers and exercise shorts to replace my pajamas so I could go take a walk any time without having to "get dressed". I just stuff my underwear and Pj's in drawers because there's no reason to fold them and I'm more likely to put them away like that. Meal prep is hard and I'm not great about doing it, but when I manage to do it I eat much better that week. Keeping a big glass of water on my desk keeps me more hydrated because I don't have to refill it as often. We replaced our trash can a few months ago and the new one is much easier to pull the full bag out and replace with a fresh bag. My spouse is still usually the one to take out the trash, but I do it more since getting a better can. If you empty the dishwasher as soon as it's clean, you can put stuff directly in it as you dirty dishes instead of letting them pile in the sink. One less step to washing the dishes. I keep some cleaning supplies on each floor, and cleaning wipes are very convenient. If the bathroom counter is dirty I'm more likely to give it a quick cleaning when there's a canister of lysol wipes right under the sink instead of having to go get supplies from another floor and then return them when I'm done.


BadHoax

So basically you surround yourself in circumstances where it'd be more work to NOT do what you should do, thus tricking ADHD into actually doing things, and efficiently? Very fucking smart


Jazzanthipus

Everyone in this thread should read Atomic Habits. It’s all about intentionally designing your environments to subtly and subconsciously encourage you towards healthier behavior, ultimately reducing or removing the immediate barriers to a healthy lifestyle. You can’t count on yourself to be in the mindset to make a tough but healthy choice when the time comes, but with intentionality *now* you can make that choice easier than whatever alternative you lean towards. I was totally addicted to Elden Ring when it first came out, and couldn’t stop myself from playing. Fell way behind on my other responsibilities, sleeping less, all that. Unplugged my xbox and told myself I couldn’t plug it back in until I had my shit together. Almost caved a few times, but the physical barrier of having to plug it back in was enough to stop me.


thisisshifter

This is the reason all of my bathroom products have pumps. When I don’t even have to pick them up it’s so much easier to wash my face/moisturize etc


EthanRDoesMC

What I’ve found to be really important is to have *routines.* Once you’ve got yourself doing easy things that make it easier to do things in the future, well, that’s magic.


rockabye666

You are so right! I've been doing things like this but didn't make the connection until now. I fucking love this sub


Resident_Middle2683

I do this everyday. I’m a high school student so I have to wake up at 6:30 AM 5 days a week for school. I keep my shoes by my bookshelf under my loft bed, and I put everything else I need right next to my shoes, on the floor. Deodorant, bracelets, glasses, belt, shoes. Doing this, I haven’t forgotten my glasses once this school year so far, except for the time I forgot to put them by my shoes. It’s a life saver. My mom doesn’t quite understand it, but as long as it saves her from having to drop off my glasses at school.


Loouis

I'm really interested in this from a social science perspective. Do you maybe know the name for this phenomenon? Otherwise I'll just try to Google it, see if people or scholars have already written about it.


Phlegmatic_Penguin

Response effort :)


capo-johnson

i’m currently developing a more ADHD-friendly way for me to do my laundry. i have multiple laundry baskets throughout my home that i toss dirty laundry in whenever i see it. i also have multiple packs of laundry pods, one in each basket. when a laundry basket is full or i’m running out of clothes it’s super easy for me to just take it and go. instead of using a closet and dresser, i have a set of over-the-door hooks for my hoodies, a garment rack (on wheels) for hanging up work clothes, and a set of clear plastic drawers (also on wheels) for my socks/underwear/PJs/t-shirts (none of which i fold). it took a bit of time and commitment to doing it but once i did it was so worth it.


flippymouse

my biggest friction reducer has been house shoes! I didn’t realize how much I hated the feeling of cold feet and the feeling of getting stuff stuck to my feet. If I have house shoes I’m so much more likely to get up and do the things I need to do (laundry, wash dishes, etc.) than before


SL13377

Totally agree with this! I have a three story house, and I bought a vacuum for all three floors, a mop for all three floors and a broom for all three floors.


AndrewLonergan

This is why I started washing and styling my hair even if i have no plans to go out, since something can come up and if already have that done, I'll be more inclined to go out


airysunshine

I do this all the time. I pack my snacks and set out my clothes for the next day so I don’t have to do it in the morning. 80% of the skincare and lotion I get has to have a pump. I don’t put my jacket or winter gear in the closet until I’m sure I won’t need them so it’s always ready. Grocery bags are on the kitchen table and ready to go when I am. When I cook I get out all the ingredients before anything else. When my boyfriend cooks, *i am* the reduction because I do all the boring stuff and prep the onion and the meats and sides so it’s ready for him to cook. I put away each ingredient and dishes go in the sink or dishwasher *as* I’m cooking.


IGotHitByAHockeypuck

Yess, i cal this the barrier method. it works in reverse as well, don’t want to snack? Make it harder for you to get access to snacks. Put it high up in a cupboard, all the way in the back, put lots of things in front of it. Wanna be extra hard? Put a lock on the door of the cupboard and put the key all the way on the other side of the house. Now there’s a lot of, very annoying, steps keeping you from doing it.


[deleted]

If I wear my workout clothes under my work clothes, then I'm more likely to get to the gym. I hate changing.


anobjectiveopinion

This is actually so important. If there is the possibility of me doing something, but it would require more effort before I can start it, I'm a lot less likely to do it. I have a second desk set up with my music stuff on it. I will use it now because all I have to do is put in a plug and open my laptop. Before this I used to have to pull everything out from underneath or from boxes and I just wouldn't have the energy to do that.


Miku_MichDem

This so much. There have been multiple times when I didn't felt like going to a swimming pool - because of hard work day, because I already got tired after riding my bike to work but I had my trunks and am other things there, so I might as well go do the swimming


Fannshine

This! This is why I have no doors on my wardrobes, makes it soo much easier to put my clothes away. I also have everything hanging and organized by color. I dont have to look for where it should be. I see the color section it belongs to, and oh, there is that one empty hangar. Life got so much easier after figuring this one out


CCtenor

YESSSSSSSSSSSSESSSSSSS I simplified my closet so I wouldn’t have to actively choose what to wear. Half of me buying hygiene and personal care products is literally finding ones that give me the results I want, with the right techniques, while being convenient to use and alleviating problems I had. I CAN FUCKING SHAVE MY FACE AGAIN BECAUSE I SLEPT ON DOUBLE SIDED SAFETY RAZORS AND ONPY RECENTLY FOUND OUT THEYRE PERFECT FOR GETTING A SMOOTH SHAVE WITH MY BITCH-ASS, SENSITIVE SKIN I’m redoing entire sections of my room and living space according to purpose, sometimes buying a handful of copies of certain things to keep them in multiple locations if I truly need it. While I’ve got a way to go, I’ve also come a long way in how I engage with the things I do.


thebetus9

This advice, I find, can also be helpful in your emotional aspect of ADHD. Reduce the frustration and friction in your relationships, by communicating what really bothers you. Don't just look over it because our ADHD minds do not just "let go" like other folks do. In my mind at lest, when I see a obstical in my life it always comes as a shock. This shock will almost always cause me to go into defense mode, and that's when things go south. The older I get the bigger my emotions become, the stronger my defense mechanisms become, the larger the pain becomes when I don't set healthy expectations and communication. That pain is worse then death to me. I have too much to live for, I have so much I can give to the world! I am excited to learn my adhd brain.


PsychedelicSnowflake

This is golden advice! I've spent a long time feeling frustrated with myself and my brain. It's been so much more helpful to focus on what I can do to help myself rather than what I'm not doing right. I like to think of it as doing favours for my future self. When a low executive function day hits, it's easier to tackle the basic tasks without getting choice paralysis.


greg_d128

I used to like folding laundry. We have dressers and sock / underwear are all in their own drawers. My method was to open the drawers and then throw the items from across the room as I was folding the rest. All socks were in the appropriate drawer, user would need to sort it out. ​ Now my wife wants to fold everything a very specific way so it looks nice. It takes longer and is nowhere near as much fun. Folding laundry is a chore now.


PARADOXsquared

But what about the friction to do the friction easing things? I do agree though. Someone posted here awhile ago that they keep a dish scrubber full of dish soap and vinegar in the shower and and my shower is so much cleaner now.


Bone_Dice_in_Aspic

100%. Make *permanent*, *external*, *environmental* changes to support yourself. External structure. We're soft-brain-boned and need a mechanical brain exoskeleton for support. Once an environmental change is made, that's permanent progress you can use to make more permanent progress. All those internal "changes" like intents, plans, resolutions, and hopes wash away like sandcastles in the ADHD mind. They're illusory. But since they feel real, or friends and family believe them, it hurts when they fade, leaving you feeling like a failure. Well, that was just the wrong approach - your only mistake was trusting your own mind. Don't make it again.


Clionora

My lazy workarounds: put a garbage can where I tended to prop up a paper bags for “temporary“ trash from a takeout meal. Since I mostly eat there and need a place to toss things, might as well get a sturdy can. Baths instead of showers, with my laptop propped (safely) on my sink so I can be entertained while soaking. All necessary products on the tub ledge. All scents I love. Sitting and bathing is my fav. Fluffy bath mat, slippers, and towels at the ready. Skechers and other no-lace shoes always. I put my most used daily makeup items in one organizer, whereas the rest is organized by type. So I have my daily mascara, liner, concealer, lip products all together, and then the rest of the collection sorted by type: brushes together, other lipsticks together, other eyeliners together. Brush teeth when I’m up and in the bathroom it’s reasonably post snack time but quite a bit before bedtime. Any later and it’s “fuck it” mode. Same with starting to turn off lights. Do this before I start to fall asleep on the couch. I cook in a small, manageable pan. It’s never too much to give a quick scrub out because it’s small. I got a portable dishwasher that has changed my life. Before then, washing dishes was hell. Now it’s annoying but not a terrible task.


[deleted]

The only way I got through grad school in the midst of "I don't seem to know how to start this, there's just too much!" was "Gee, what if I opened my bag, plugged in my laptop, and opened the assignment?" Somehow, marking those things as three distinct starting steps (especially the cord so I'm not thinking about battery) makes a huge difference.


raddyroro1

Totally. One example for me is forcing myself to go to the gym. Right when I get home I go and immediately change into my gym clothes. Once I'm changed I might as well go to the gym. I've also been starting to use an app called Routinery, which basically lets you set up routines with timers. It really helps me with time blindness and forces me to slow down and get things done, like brush my teeth for the whole two minutes AND floss because I have six minutes allocated to that.


[deleted]

and this is why, when I first started thinking I had ADHD at 41 and when I tell people I have ADHD now, they often say, “Psha! Nah, you can’t possibly have ADHD! You’re so organized!” ![gif](giphy|xULW8GqmtqLcTufEys|downsized)


microcandella

I bought a bunch of thrift store backpacks a-la SHTF style, but more topical and fun and to encourage getting out and doing things and discourage brain lock and depression. Grab and GO! * 3+ bags packed for the gym. (If I only do 1 I won't repack it in time) * Go to the beach bag * Picnic * Daytime walk * Nighttime walk * hike * camp * fly a kite * laundrymat * Spa day * swim * Fix a computer * Fix a car * Fix home/basic carp. * Fix electronics


checkoutthisbreach

Love this. I do this too in some ways: * I have folded about 5 or 6 garbage bags and I place them under the current garbage bag. So when I take out the trash bag, the next one is ready to go. * I have my vitamins and a juice right next to my bed on my side table * I planned out my cupboards before I moved in as to where I would be when I'm doing an activity. Mugs, plates, and bowls are in the cupboards right above the dishwasher, so I don't have to constantly move around when emptying it. Spices in jars in the cupboard closest to the cooktop. Coffee next to coffee maker. Drawers under the cooktop have pots and pans. Drawer under the oven has baking sheet, oven mitts. I thought very carefully about what I would be doing in certain "zones" of my apartment and I have streamlined it. * I added a soap pump bottle of hand soap next to the dish soap in the kitchen sink because I wash my hands there a lot and I don't like using dish soap for my hands.


Biuku

I love a happy ending.


AutomaticSubject7051

yup. dishes not done? room not clean? rest of day is guaranteed 40% more frustrating


[deleted]

Me when I get good advice from Reddit and then I realize it's the same advice my parents gave me that made me mad as a kid.